Unmasking the Competition: Pass the mic, it's my turn!

Choose Your Poison -- Righteous Indignations, Pompous Pretensions: Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! Debates, town halls, nominee hearings, oh my! They all ended like they started -- indictments leveled at the other side (especially whose to blame for our COVID problems to date), self-congratulations for our side. Okay, three cheers for symmetry, at least (you may stay seated): "whoop-de-do, whoop-de-do, whoop-de-do" (didn't even break a sweat). Enough to turn you off, but not cause you to change the channel yet, as you waited for something worth waiting for...

"Keep talking, man!...Suffering Fools:  There's an old saying in politics that you don't really want your opponent to shut up, you don't want to yank the mic away--just let him keep talking and eventually he'll discredit himself (even without the help of a moderator). There's even an older and more universal saying in life that sometimes it's better to keep quiet and let them think you're a fool, rather than shoot off your mouth and reveal yourself as one. Pass the mic...

Pound of Pride, Ounce of Humility: There were a few moments during both the debates and supreme court confirmation hearings that took me right back to March 30, 1981: "I'm in control here", asserted Alexander Haig, following the wounding of President Reagan at the hands of John Hinckley. Besides getting a few details wrong (the line of succession to president, that is, which actually went to George Bush, the elder) and his strong leadership credentials notwithstanding (including General of the U.S. Army, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, Naval War College graduate), it was then Secretary of State Haig's brazen manner which caught the attention of the press and American populace, which in turn did not collectively induce confidence, but made many shudder. Contrast this with the humility of Pope Francis upon being elevated to pope, which endeared him to the world over (even some atheists, in the safety of my office, have proclaimed, "I love that guy!"). That is, in a departure from tradition, prior to offering the traditional papal blessing to the expectant crowd assembled in St. Peter's Square below, Pope Francis first boldly and humbly asked for their prayers for himself, in order to serve them and the faithful worldwide. May other acts of humility were to come. Pass the humble pie...

Back to the Future:  At the end of the judiciary committee hearing, following their respective attacks and solicitudes of the nominee, the Honorable Amy Coney Barrett, an appeal to congress as a whole was made by a nationally renowned physician, on behalf of all Americans, to at least model good pandemic hygiene. After more self-aggrandizing remarks by some senators, passive aggressive remarks (accompanied by Cheshire Cat grins) by others, gushing superlatives regarding what the committee had accomplished by yet a few others, and finally the new pandemic pledge that had just been issued a few minutes before, what I (and you, unless you had grown weary and distracted) witnessed was several members UNMASKING and HUGGING -- WT?!! At any other time of history, we would simply cast it aside as typical political pretension. But these are different times. Glad I was 526 miles away (6 ft. times...?). Pass the hand sanitizer and the barf bucket...

Elusive Leadership, Hope for the Future? If you and I became jaded or cynical after watching the foregoing, we can all think of individuals we know that might fit the bill of strong leaders, who are doing so in our respective communities.  Several women and men come to my mind readily who, if they are willing to withstand the type of treatment we have witnessed, will be constitutionally eligible in a few years. In the meantime, please pass the remote...